Mumbai: Unable to get down from moving train, commuters break doors in AC local

The much-awaited AC local train received a warm welcome from the residents of Mumbai. However, after much hullabaloo, the commuters faced a difficult situation as the doors in the AC local did not open until the train completely stopped at the station. The “delayed” opening ended up forcing Mumbaikars to break the doors within a month of the train’s rollout.

The commuters, who are habited to getting down from the moving train, forced open the door in an attempt to get down from the train before it stopped completely. This led to the breaking of several doors in the newly-launched train.

Speaking to us, a commuter who was travelling in a Churchgate-bound AC local said, “I had to get down at Elphinstone Road. The station had almost arrived but the door did not open. Fearing that it might be a fast train and that I might be forced to travel all the way to Mumbai Central, I, along with several others who wanted to get down from the moving train, pushed the door and broke it open.”

Earlier this month, Mumbaikars had written to Western Railways to remove the doors in AC local as they prevented the commuters from standing at the door while travelling. The commuters also demanded that the air-conditioners in the train be turned off as the city experienced chilling winters where the temperature dipped to 25° C.

Several doors were found to be broken within a week of the launch of the AC local. Fearing backlash, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ensured quick action to nab the culprits. “As a punishment, the accused will be made to board a Virar-bound train from Borivali,” he said.

The CM also announced that the Army has been called to repair the broken doors of the AC local train, to ensure smooth functioning of the suburban railways.